目前日期文章：200702 (3)

Alright…here comes another review group, this time it is computer game repeated. I thought I’ll do this because A- I’m taking a break from studying after having run up and down a building just to buy a course guide and B- I’ve been playing this game madly in my holiday (between summer school and semester one) and C- it is a really awesome game so I might as well talk about it for a bit.

Firstly neverwinter nights is a role playing game which have you the player being a character who then do all these quests and in the case of this game, you get to be the hero. So I was playing it as a fighter (as I tend to do for the first time I play a role playing game as it just let me go charge by attacking back anything that attacks me). The game is really great and the graphics is just so amazing, I mean, you can actually see people’s faces and a lot of stuff in great detail. It is a 3D game and not only does the graphics looks quite realistic, it is also so pretty. The only disadvantage is that the game can get quite tedious because it is quite long, and half the time it involves you running around in these maze like place that just look identical. But I really liked it (although my main motivation is due to the romance in the game. HAHAHA that shouldn’t be surprising if you truly knows me.)

Although one of the slightly annoying thing is the henchman system. Contrary to previous RPGs which I have played, your henchman is different as you are not able to control them fully. While you can them to stand guard of just something like that, you can not specify who exactly you want them to attack, nor can you change their equipment. And once they attack someone, you can not tell them to go another direction unless you run that direction your self.

You can get…

Gnomish sorcerer (not the most useful henchman, but he is the only sorcerer you can hire); a human bard (she can cast some offensive and healing spells, as well as pick locks. Useful enough but still…not useful in the sense that she cannot cast that much healing spells, nor can she disable a trap); an elven cleric (this is the henchman I’ve never have in my group because you can simply get free healing by using the stone of recall; a halfling-thief (for me he is the best henchman to have in my game as a fighter, because he can shoot in the back and do more damages then the bard as he is a thief- so he have this sneak attack thing, and he can disable traps and I find that skill the most useful since most times, my pc can win a fight without that much difficulty, I don’t need spells that much); a dwarven monk (he’s a really good fighter but he is a very creepy character, talk about death in every second sentence); and then a half-orc fighter (not as good a fighter as the monk but he’s more normal. Although the staff seem to want to fight against the stereotype of half orcs being dumb a bit to well. This henchman’s conversation with you is actually very philosophical…Apparnatly you can also have a romance with him if your pc is a woman and you had him throughout all four chapters, although I haven’t done this yet since I only had him as a henchman for a brief amount of time.)

In one aspect the game can be rather easy due to the stone of recall, which you get in the very first chapter. Absoutely amazing stuff!!! You can activiate it in the middle of the battle and it will trasform you from one area to the temple, which you can have free healing. So say you are in this fight and you are dying, and you are surrounded enemies which make you unable to escape by the door, just activate the stone or recall and you will be back in the safey of the temple)

Anotehr thing is that even though a thief is required to pick locks and disable traps, anyone can break most chest just by hitting in enough times. Although it often get relatively time consuming. (Though it does release stress) But the difference is that eventulaly you can break most chests (unlike the Baldur’s Gate series, you can hit a chest ten thousand times and chances are it will still be locked.)

But anyway…this is basically what happens in the story. I’ll refer to the person (the PC) as you directly.

Prologue
You start the game by learning about how the city of Neverwinter (ruled by Lord Nasher Alagondar) in Faerun (the world of the forgotten realm series) have a plague called the wailing death, and the plague is basically pretty much killing everyone. As a result, Lord Nasher’s right hand Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande summons adventures to help her. To investigate this matter. You are one of those and what happened is that the adventures goes to train in an academy, which is attacked and so your first quest is to stop the attack. After this, Aribeth then tell you that there seemed to have been a cure for the plague. The ingredients are on four creatures but since this is a game, things don’t naturally go smooth. The four creatures escaped due to the attack on the academy…

Chapter One
The hero is ordered by Aribeth to find the four creatures- only the hero does this because it has to be stealthy. At this point the hero can have a henchman (provided that you have enough gold. When I told the henchman that I wanted to hire about how I don’t have enough gold he actually said ‘then what are you talking to me for?’ Evil…) In Chapter one you also meet Fenthick Moss (who is Aribeth’s lover) and Desther Indelayne, both are very important officials in Neverwinter night now.

The overall quest in chapter one is to find the four creatures and even though you get some side quests, most areas you go to all lead to finding the four creatures.

Eventually you find all four creatures and you go back to Aribeth and the cure is made, however, Desther then reveals himself as a traitor and runs off with the cure, and Fenthick actually follows him, making those present that he is helping Desther, and might be a traitor too. So, the hero have to get the cure back (surprise surprise). Now…what follows is what I regard as probalby the hardest bit in the whole game. You have to fight Desther and this is the few battle where you actually can’t use the stone of recall. I think the only other time when you can’t use it is actually in the very final battle. Now, I don’t know if my game had a bug, or it was just me, but I swear, it took me at least an hour before I killed him. I had to keep on reloading because I keep on getting killed. In order to kill Desther you have to break five pillars that surround him (you just keep on hitting it, but during this time others will be attacking you) and Desther will just hit my pc once, and my pc just dies. But then here comes the tragic part…even though Desther rightly gets executed, the people of Neverwinter kills Fenthick too, believing that he helped Desther.

Chapter Two
The PC has left Neverwinter and arrived in Port Llast (another place basically) and is ordered to find the cult that is believed to be responsible for creating the plague. Here is the really frustrating part, you can move to the next stage just by getting two pieces of evidences, so you can move onto the next stage really quick, but you get all these ten thousands side quest that you feel obliged to do as what is the point of buying this game if you aren’t going to play every single thing? So you end up doing tons of stuff…

However, I had really looked forward to chapter 2 because this is where a romance began to happen. I don’t know what happens to a male pc but for a female PC you actually get quite a nice romance. What happens is that Lord Nasher sent his Spymaster Aarin Gend to help you and if you are a woman in the game Aarin will tell his past. He was a slave whose master killed his mother, and he in turned killed his master (but he seems to feel pretty bad about it, a bit sad at having to kill anyone at all); then he became a pirate and ended up betraying his captain to Neverwinter’s authority because he feels that his captain was going too far with the killing and all; this led him to meeting Lord Nasher, who said that he must serve the city of Neverwinter as his sentence (cause he was a pirate after all); and his final story is about how he was sent to destory this thief guild but he fell in love with the guildmistress, and yet he killed her because of his duty. After this, he will admit that the you have become a very special person to him, and he would really hate to see you getting hurt. He gives this amulet to you, and tell you that maybe in the future, you can have the opportunity of developing your relationship.

Eventually you find enough evidence that tells you the cult is possibly based in Luskan. So you go there and learn that Aribeth disappeared, and that the rulers of luskan are at all, so you kill them, just as well, because you need their seal. What happens is that Aarin uses the seal to forge a document for you that let you go in this tower in Luskan, which seems to be a base for the cult. Going to the tower can get a bit annoying because it has about nine or ten freaken levels, but eventually you reach the very top and sees Aribeth with the enemy, and sees her swearing her alliance to them, basically she’s betraying Neverwinter…

Chapter Three
After you report to Aarin about what happened they go to this place called Beorouna’s well together and once again, the pc has to do all the work. This time, you have to find items call ‘the words of power’. I think it was more of a ‘the enemy want it, so we must get is before them) This chapter involves fighting dragons and I had to fight them for ages because they kept on making my pc frightened, so she runs around without me controlling her. Then in the last hour of the game I learnt that if only I had drank this potion called ‘potion of clarity’ then my pc wouldn’t have been affected at all.

Unlike chapter 2 you don’t have that much side quest so that’s a good thing, on the other hand this chapter is still really long despite all this. So you eventually get all three, and you are playing a female who has Aarin’s amulet, the romance continues each time you bring back a world of power.

The first time you will tell him that you want to talk about your relationship, and he will admit that he is not used to such a relationship and that everything has happened so fast- Aribeth’s betrayal, being here and all that. But he does say that you are special as he feels that he can trust you even though he spends most of his life being alone, as well as saying that he would be a fool to let you go. But all this only lead to him saying that he hopes to work things out when this is finished, because right now you must continue defend Neverwinter.

The second time things get more…deeper. Once again, you ask him about your relationship and he says that though you are definitely very special to him, he is afraid of loving you because of his past, as well as what Aribeth did (Fenthick is innocent and obviously she’s angry that they killed him). He’s afraid that he’ll have to ‘kill in the name of duty’, ie. if you betrays the city and he remains with the city-what happened with his first girlfriend, or ‘betray in the name of love’, ie. If something happens to you then he might want to betray the city for your sake as Aribeth did. But then you can tell him not to be afraid the past, as well as admitting that you love him, and Aarin will admit that he loves you too. Basically he’ll say that he really want to spend the rest of his life with you, but is unable to do so now because of all this, but he is slightly optimistic in saying that he can probably leave Neverwinter when all this is over.

When you bring back the last word of power you will automatically travel back to Neverwinter night after you talk to Aarin. This is important as you must have the right henchman, because the henchman you have with you at the end of chapter three is the henchman you are stuck with in chapter four. I had to reload because I found this out the hard way.

Chapter Four
You arrive in Neverwinter once more and you learn that the cult is attacking with troops from Luskan as well as other sources, and Aribeth is leading them. Also, a lizard-woman has arrived, wanting to see you. You speak to the lizard woman and learn what this is all about. The lizard woman belongs to a race called the creator race and they are kind of like lizards, they cannot survive in very cold conditions. Morag, their queen, kind of sealed them somehow, but now they are awakening, and once Morag arrive in the world she want to make the world hot again, as well as enslaving everyone else. So basic plot…world domination with only the hero to stop it. What you must do is find a forth word of power, the final one, and then the lizard woman will use all four words to destroy Morag.

If the PC is romancing Aarin you can have a final dialogue with him, kind of disappointing as you don’t get a farewell dialogue before you go to do the big thing. (At least I didn’t get one.)The dialogue you have just relates to you finding the forth word. By this time your relationship seemed to have develop more as he realized that he would probably do what Aribeth did (instead of doing what he did to his previous girlfriend, choosing duty instead) and even though he complains that what happens is unfair (translation-it sucks) he will still tell you that he is happy for having met you, and still hope to have a future with you. It really is very romantic.

So regardless of anything else, you will face Aribeth (now evil) and fight with her. She will yield when you almost kill her (this part of the fight is actually pretty easy) and then you try to persuade her to return to Neverwinter to make amendment, or you can kill her (killing her is actually pretty hard). I only successfully persuaded her to make amends because I kept on getting killed by her in the second half of the fight. Regardless of what you do to Aribeth, you end up facing the guy who have the last word of power (he kind of looks like Irenicus from Baldur’s Gate) and get the word of power.

However, the lizard woman will tell you that it’s too late (as convenient of RPGs) and your only way of stopping Morag is to use the four source stones and somehow enter the place where Morag is and kill her. So you do this, which is not easy as it includes fighting two dragons at once at one stage…that was…I kept on drinking potions and using the stone of recall…Eventually you will reach to the final area, by this time you can no longer use the stone of recall. At this time, your henchman will talk to you about all this and I thought what the Halfling said was quite funny. He asks you about death and I said: “Don’t worry, I’m not going to die” which he replies: “Of course you won’t as you are the hero, but I’m the sidekick!!! The sidekick always dies!!!

Fighting Morag is not hard, although once again, you have to bash an altar, and kill some of her priestesses before you are able to kill her. But once you do that, just keep on hacking at her and drink potion. Eventually she gets killed and you see this portal which you jump in. You will meet the lizard woman who tells you that since you killed Morag all is well now, and you are rightfully regarded as a hero. You will get to jump into another portal and then the ending film will be shown. I am quite disappointed though, that the ending film is so general, as it doesn’t mention Aribeth or Aarin. You just presume that you and Aarin probably get together.

SPOILER OF EXPANSION PACK: From the second expansion pack you learn that Aribeth probably got executed, and the hero of Neverwinter (you) had a clash due to Lord Nasher about this (or just a general clash in general), and as a result you left Neverwinter and now there are revisionists in the city who claims that you didn’t do all these things that you did and that you didn’t really save Neverwinter night by yourself (seems to be due to Lord Nasher.)

And I think it’s more sad if you are a female PC who romanced Aarin because even though you left the city, he seemed to have remained in the city. What a tragic ending…especially if you think about his past.

First of all I finally finished my fushigi yugi 100 questions, which is my answer to one hundred questions that relates to Fushigi Yugi. I know…I am obsessed with the story but it is just so good! Guess it is kind of suitable for me to put this up as school starts today and I won’t be getting anytime to do stuff like this.

Another thing that I am very proud of!!! I am now the proud owner of the whole set of Fushigi Yugi, I have all eighteen volume sitting on my shelf proudly. Initially I didn’t thought about buying all 18 because Hotohori doesn’t come out in all eighteen volume but then I realize that I really like the story and so I want to own the whole set (And I really like Soi too who kind of began to appear when Hotohori exists…sniff) but anyway I am so happy that I now have all eighteen! Come to think about it Fushigi Yugi is a story that must have really touched me because of the fan fictions that I wrote, and will write. I also plan to buy all of Genbu Kaiden but the only problem is that the shop where I brought Fushigi Yugi from does not sell Genbu Kaiden just yet, and I don’t want to buy an English vision because I think VIZ did quite a bad job in translating Fushigi Yugi and Genbu Kaiden. So I will wait. I think Genbu Kaiden will probably be about 14 volumes because technically Fushigi Yugi is 13 volume (without the second story arch) while Ayashi no Ceres is 14 volume. So next time I go back to Taiwan I’ll be carrying a bunch of manga!!! Unless that sop will sell them…I suppose I can just beg, plead and weep for it…

Anyway…this is the Fushigi Yugi one hundred questions which I wrote myself. Um…Yui fans please don’t read as I really don’t like Yui. If you guys didn’t heed my warning and read it anyway then don’t leave abusive messages on my blog, I am allowed to not like her and even if I seem a bit bitchy…I did have a warning, I really don’t like Yui, I think I almost hate her as a character.

General issues relating to the story1- When and how did you start reading Fushigi Yugi? Last year (2006) at around May or April. My sister’s friend downloaded the manga and anime and gave it for my sister to read as she said that she had once seen this being played on TV when she was really small and still in Taiwan, so as a result I began to read it since I just saw it on our computer one day.

2- What do you think is distinguished about Fushigi Yugi compared to the Watase-sensai’s other works? Unlike Ayashi no Ceres fushigi yugi is a bit more light hearted, as I feel that what did not happen in Fushigi Yugi happened in Ayashi no Ceres. Eg. There were times when Miaka was almost raped but this did not happen, unlike Ceres (who did suffer marital rape). And of course with the exception of the story of the tennyo Ayashi no Ceres is quite a realistic thing, and Aya is also very aggressive (more like Takiko then Miaka or any other of Watase-sensai’s heroines) while Shuro faces a great dilemma due to the nature of her gender, unlike Nuriko. As for Alice 19th…Alice 19th is based on western stories instead of eastern stories. As for absolute boyfriends that story solely focuses on romance with a very little cast (really just centres on three people).

3-Do you think there are contradictory bits in Fushigi Yugi? I am convinced the relationship between Hotohori and Houki suffers a contradiction as I am sure that in the original story arch Hotohori did not love Houki, as his dying thoughts were all about Miaka but in the second story arch it is clear that he loves her. I wonder if the first OVA count as a contradiction because Tomo is definitely dead while there is suggesting that Tasuki and Koji are co-leaders after the whole story of the second OVA. Also, why is it possible that Miaka’s wish is granted if Suzuno’s was not? I also do not see why Miaka was not eaten if Takiko was, because Takiko seems stronger then all the other three by far.

4- List out the main things that you don’t like in Fushigi Yugi? I think what I don’t link in the story is mainly due to not liking characters but one thing I don’t like is how Seiryuu is seen as a rather cruel deity by the characters in the story, as well as having the most of the Suzaku warriors seeing things in a too much a black and white way. And as always…I hate how Hotohori changing into a minor character after volume 6.

5- How do you pay tribute to Fushigi Yugi? 1=By buying all 18 volume of the manga although they cost almost up to $200 bucks in total. 2=watching all the anime although I don’t like the later half of the anime that much (when Hotohori stops coming out, just not fair!!!) as well as all the OVA although I don’t like the first OVAs (Hotohori didn’t come out until the last five minutes and they made Tomo a bastard, as well as killing Amiboshi and Koji. I mean, what is the point!!!). But I watch them for the sake that they are the work of the very talented Watase-sensai. 3=constantly using fushigi yugi pictures as my wall paper for my mobile and computer. 4=have almost all the songs from fushigi yugi and constantly listens to them, as well as printing the lyrics out. 5=write two fan fictions about Hotohori that adds up to 100,000words and planning to write a fan fiction on Genbu Kaiden. 6=writing this questioner, I literally wrote this as I really want to do a fushigi yugi 100 questions after I did the Inuyasha 100 question but since I couldn’t do find one I decided to write one myself.

6- What is the thing that you most want to see in Fushigi Yugi? Hotohori being able to remain alive in order to be with his wife (whom I now believe he loves) as well as raising his son up (as he will be such a good father).

7- Explain why you like Fushigi Yugi. I like romance stories and Fushigi Yugi is just such a beautiful romance story (Regardless of who you like- unless you don’t like anyone) because whether it is returned or unrequited love the way each character deals with their feelings are just so beautiful. At that time I had read a lot of stuff by Clamp and talented as they are, I was a bit sick of reading stories that ends in some sort of tragedy (like Tokyo Babylon and X) so I was really glad to read Fushigi Yugi- as I was told that it is going to have a happy ending. So I read almost all the books in one go and then I really like it because I think Watase-sensai’s drawings are just so beautiful!

8- What do you think is the most hilarious moment in Fushigi Yugi? A lot of bits, especially when the characters start to get drawn in a really cute way! (Like all tiny or that kind of stuff) but I will say in volume one Miaka realize that Hotohori is a man, as well as her reaction “What about below then…” because I literally burst out laughing when I saw that bit.

9- What do you think is the most romantic bit in the story? When Hotohori first declared out his love in chapter five and six, because that is when I realize that he is my favourite character, as what he said to her is just so romantic. The idolization and love he had since he was a child…it is just such a romantic moment!

10- What is your favourite moment of all time in fushigi yugi? Volume 15- when Hotohori sees Houki and his son because that is the moment when I realized that he is in love with Houki, as well as seeing how much he loves his son.

11- List one of your favourite quote? I have a lot…some by Hotohori, one or two from Soi and even some from other characters. But I will say this one: I wish for you to be my empress…I will make you fall in love with me. which is said by Hotohori. I really like this one because that is when I realize that he is my favourite character.

12- What will your ideal ending for the story be? For Hotohori to be able to see his kingdom in peace as well as having the chance to raise his son up, as well as for Shoka and Chichiri’s fiancée to come back alive, for Nakago to somehow redeem himself and spend the rest of his life with Soi- who will now be a proper woman as she desires and lastly, for the twins to be together.

13- What is the thing that most anger you in Fushigi Yugi? There are a lot of stuff that angers me (Miaka and Yui’s actions) but what really piss me off is Hotohori becoming a minor character from a major character. Probably due to the fact that he is my favourite character but it is still not fair! True that he is not the main male lead but he is probably the second most important male character in the first half of the story, and yet he suddenly becomes none existent in the latter half of the story!!! NOT FAIR!!!

14- Comment on what you think about the celestial warriors all having a word located somewhere on their body? It is an interesting idea although it must be quite troublesome for some of them, as some of the location is quite hard to conceal (like on the forehead) maybe that is why, so far, the celestial warriors of Genbu all seem to have their words on some part of the body that is usually covered since they are not regarded in a favourable light. (Tomite- back, Hatsui- the underside of his feet, Uruki- middle of his chest, Inami, above her navel). But I guess it is meant to be a really good system of proving their identity as the word that was tattooed on Amiboshi to let him disguise as Chiriko is actually quite different from the real word font-wise.

15- What is your favourite chapter cover?” (The pages with the chapter numbers, which usually have a specifically drawn drawing) As to be expected I love any chapter covers that have Hotohori on it but surprisingly my favourite chapter cover is actually chapter 67, where Soi is drawn in the wedding gown of a native tribe in China. I really like this one because it shows Soi in a way that we have never seen before.

16- What is your favourite book cover? the cover for volume four because that is one of the two volume cover with Hotohori on (the other is volume 15 with Tasuki and Chichiri). In Fushigi yugi I think Hotohori is the only one other then Miaka and Tamahome who actually made it on the spine of the book twice!!! And he made it on the cover twice too! Quite amazing if you are not Miaka or Tamahome. But I like the cover for volume four better because he is alone and the way he held Miaka’s hand (we only see Miaka’s hand) and pressed it against his face is just sooo romantic. And there is a very romantic mood to the starry back ground as well.

17- Who do you think is the most handsome male/beautiful female in fushigi yugi? For male it is definitely Hotohori, and his long hair drapes in a really beautiful way as well. He is probably the most beautiful male character I have ever seen in any manga. For female it is Soi- being one of the few only women in the story. I find Soi drawn really beautifully as well, very much like Ceres in Ayashi no Ceres.

18- Most of the celestial warriors have two names- the name they were born with, as well as the name they have due to being a celestial warriors. Why do you think that most of them ended up using their name as a celestial warrior instead of their real name? I guess using their name as a celestial warrior is kind of a sign that they willingly accepts this fate of being a seishi/celestial warrior. Although it is a bit of a pity as some of them have really nice name (eg. Soi’s real name- Kaen.) Yet it seems that some of them do not have a real name- namely Hotohori. We never discover his last name either although he should have one, and it seems that he is just called Hotohori. Although according to the novel his real name is Seishuku but that is just another version of pronunciation as the name Hotohori and Seishuku have the identical kanji. This is quite sad as it emphasizes the whole idea of how he is often seen as an object instead of a person. But anyway, as I said, using their names as a celestial warrior shows an acceptance of their fate, eg. Soi is the celestial warrior of Seiryuu but Kaen might just be a normal woman.

19- Out of all the celestial warriors’ powers that you have seen, whose power is your favourite? Much as I love Hotohori…I would have to say I do not particularly like or dislike his power. I really like how Inami can use her hair as a weapon, probably because I had really long hair myself and it just seem really awesome to use my own hair as a weapon to defend myself, I think how Subaru can control time is very interesting, I also like Hikitsu’s water snake because I like the idea of using water, then there is Uriki’s wind which I quite like, as I have always like the idea of using wind. But top one actually goes to Soi- for her ability of controlling thunder. (I love the bit in the muck around bit in the end of the first Ova. As Nakago asks Soi to do something about silencing Ashitare, Soi just snapped her fingers and this bolt of lightening struck Ashitare. I know it is a mucking around bit but ever since I saw that bit, I really like Soi’s powers.)

20- Do you think it is possible for Fushigi Yugi to be made into a real life movie? If such a thing did happen, would you go and see it? Considering our technology as well as all the manga and anime that get made into films I think this is possible. Although I think one of the most difficult bits will be finding the guy for Hotohori because he has to be really good looking. Although I think this is possible as Watase-sensai once talked out how there was some celebration for Fushigi yuig and there were people who cos-played, and someone sent a letter to her saying that she went to the event and the guy who cos-played Hotohori was really handsome. So I think it is possible that there could be a guy that could be really like Hotohori. And I would go and see the film even if it sucks just for the sake that it is Fushigi Yugi. I guess that is a way of paying tribute.

character section21- Who is your favourite character and why? My favourite character is Hotohori and for more elaboration about him please read my blog entry on December 8th 2006 where there is a 2000 word + discussion on him. But in short I like him because he is such a romantic hero, and he is such a noble and kind person. Lastly, this is manga- the fact that he happens to be the most beautifully male drawn I have ever seen kind of helped too I guess.

22- Depending on your answer above, who is your favourite female character (or male if you favourite character is a female) and why? my favourite female character is Soi, I think I like her because of the fact that she is such a strong character- she is not like most female of her time and yet she have this yearning of being feminine- which I really too. I think she kind of strikes the right balance? I also really like her because of the full depth of love she bears for Nakago, I really admire her for all that she puts up with just for the sake of Nakago.

23- Who is your favourite minor character? I guess I will now say Houki, after reading the novel and seeing the last OVA I am really touched at what she did for Hotohori. I also really like Koji too…just for the mere sake that his appearance is always hilarious due to the weird way that he speaks.

24- Who do you feel sorry for the most? Hotohori, I can’t help but to feel sorry for him to know that he would never be love back by Miaka even though he loves her so much. Also, the fact that he is an emperor is making his life really difficult- not only is he burdened with the state he ends up being seen as an object more as a person, and he is really lonely- even though he regards the celestial warriors of Suzaku as his equal they never seem to do so, as they make him the outsider. Then I feel sorry for Soi, as she was sold to a brothel by her own parents when she was just twelve, and it seems that she was forced to become a prostitute- which is one of the worst fates that could happen to any woman. Also, she had to see Nakago lavishing all these attention onto Yui when she loves Nakago.

25- Which character do you hate the most, and why? Yui, because I think she is a selfish little bitch, as well as very hypocritical. And the only reason I don’t throw away the manga every time she come out, is because Watase-sensai’s drawings are simply too beautiful. Firstly, because of her own selfishness Yui basically didn’t do anything to help Kutou as well, even though she is the priestess of Seiryuu, not only that, she also destroyed Konan as well (and the thing that angers me the most is the she never once feel bad about this, she just talk about what she did to the celestial warriors of Seiryuu at the very end, and never mentions other people- the celestial warriors of Suzaku, as well as Tatara.) I really think that she should remain dead. I also think she is hypocritical because she spends her day constantly moaning about how Miaka betrayed her, then tried to betray Miaka. This would not be so wrong if she admits it, but up until the very end she acted as if she never wronged Miaka in anyway.
I don’t like Miaka that much either but I suppose stupidity is not really your own fault, although the eating thing can get really annoying.

26- Comment on what you think of Nakago in his role as the main antagonist in the first story arch? (volume 1-13 ) I think as the antagonist in a shojo manga he is pretty good, he is very calculating and I really hated him when I first read it (good thing, as Watase-sensai is making us feel towards him) and I actually really feel sorry for him when I read the whole thing again. I think as an antagonist he did a pretty good job, he is rather handsome (come on, this is a manga!!! What is the fun in watching someone like Naraku who just look gross and make you pray for his dismissal 99% of the time he comes out.) and he is rather clever-calculating, and the fact that he is ruthless make him a good antagonist- he’s not hypocritical either, lastly the fact that he was able to redeem himself made him an antagonist you can feel sorry for- it’s not just a ‘die die die’ when you read the story again. (This all sound like one big mess…) I think a good antagonist is one who can make you not like him, but admit that he is doing a good job in his role, and yet feel some sort of pity at his death, since Nakago did all these I think he is a good antagonist.

27-Comment on what you think of Tenkou in his role as the main antagonist in the second story arch? (volume 14-18) I don’t like Tenkou much and I think this is due to the fact that I cannot feel sorry for him at all (I could for Nakago). I guess Tenkou is one of those people whom I just think ‘please die’ as I read the manga. So what I feel toward him is really ‘die die die’.

28-Discuss Miaka and Yui- their roles in this story and what you think about them. see answer to question 25. As I said…I don’t like them. Although the thing is I actually liked Miaka when I first read it but upon reading the story again I realized that I really don’t like her because I realized that her stupidity caused so much pain, and she never was in grasp of the situation. I guess the fact that she was just this little girl who never understood everything made her annoying, although she does get better in the second story arch I still don’t like her that much. I feel she is just one of those girls who suffers so little (there are times when she almost suffer but that never happens, as someone always rescue her on time) and what truly annoy me is that she never learn anything from what might have happens. As for Yui…as I stated in question 25 I don’t like her, and I’ve never like her either.
To be honest I really don’t think that they should be the priestess of Kutou and Konan at all.

29- Who do you think Miaka should have gone with in the end?I guess she should go with Tamahome because it is clear that they are meant to be together. I don’t think she should go with Hotohori because she certainly would not be a good empress, and would probably make things worse for him. Funnily enough I actually think she and Tasuki would make a good pair if they both love each other (because as I will mention, I don’t think Tasuki loves her that way, nor do she.)

30- Why do you think Hotohori is so vain?I think he is vain due to the fact that his appearance is the only thing that he is certain of, I think he is uncertain in a lot of stuff- whether he is a good ruler or not, but his appearance is the only thing he can be sure of- ie.he definitely knows that he is good looking. Perhaps the reason he is obsessed with his appearance is because of that- that is one of the few thing he is certain of.

31- Considering that Hotohori’s special ability as a seishi is his skills in using his sword, do you think he will be better then Tamahome in that aspect (even though Tamahome is said to be able to use all 18 traditional Chinese weapons, which include a sword, very skilfully)? I believe strongly that Hotohori will be better then Tamahome in that aspect because his special ability is sword wielding. I suppose if this is a game then he will be highly specialised in a sword. (for those who have played Baldur’s Gate…Tamahome will probably give about 4 stars in all the 18 weapons while Hotohori will have all 5 stars for long sword alone.)

32- Does Hotohori marry Houki because he love her, or did he just marry her because he needed to marry? I must admit, initially I thought that he married her just because he needed to marry and produce an heir, because he seems the type of man who would be willing to do so if he had to. As I said, I think there is a bit of a contradiction due to the fact that Watase-sensai did not plan to write the second story arch. But judging from the second story arch it is clear that Hotohori married Houki because he loves her.

33- Do you think that the fact Houki looks like Nuriko is symbolic? No, I really think this is just a coincidence.

34- Did Nuriko really love Hotohori? The truth is I have never given this question a thought because I never paired Nuriko with Hotohori, even before I discovered that Nuriko is actually a guy, I think it is because of the fact that Hotohori declared out his love for Miaka so early, that I was wandering about him and Miaka although you kind of know that it would never happen. Answer…I don’t know.

35- In Eikou Den, what do you feel about the fact that the incarnated Nuriko still likes Hotohori? Because I am not a big supporter of Hotohori and Nuriko I kind of think it is a bit creepy. I also think that it is really sad that Nuriko ends up as a girl who still likes Hotohori because there is this whole issue about how Nuriko came to terms with the gender he was born in. It contradicts with what I had believed…(see next question)

36- Discuss Nuriko’s various attitudes to his gender This is what I decided when re-read the manga and before I watched Eikou Den. I don’t think that Nuriko is really bisexual as I think he really just cross-dressed for the sake of his sister as he was able to give up his love for Hotohori and all that related with his feminine self quite easily once he decided that he will no longer live in his sister’s shadows. So I think he didn’t actually had that much a problem with his gender- it was more to do with his sister not his gender. (unlike Shuro from Ayashi no Ceres)

37- Were you fooled into thinking that Hotohori and Nuriko were women as Miaka was when they first came out? I was fooled into thinking that Hotohori and Nuriko were women and I did get quite a shock when I realize that they were actually guys. I even thought that Tatara was a guy…that was why it was absolutely hilarious when I discovered that Shuro in Ayashi no Ceres is a girl because it was the exact opposite thing from fushigi yugi. Note: I read fushigi yugi first, then Ayashi no Ceres.

38- Do you like Tamahome with longer hair, or with shorter hair? I don’t like Tamahome that much but I guess I prefer him with longer hair as I like guys with longer hair in general. But the way he ties his hair never made me think of him as a guy with particularly long hair.

39- Would Chichiri drink the potion that Mitsukake gave him to heal the wound on his eyes? I am not really sure and we never get to find out, because the last picture of Chichiri shows Chichiri in his mask. Personally I like to think that he will, because he did finally come to term with the whole thing about his friend and fiancée.

40- Do you think Tasuki will really remain hating girls for the rest of his life? I don’t think so, I think he will eventually marry and I think he will end up either marrying to someone very gentle and fragile, or marry someone like one of his sisters- ie. Very menacing.

41- Do you think that Tasuki loves Miaka in a romantic way? While I did say that I think Miaka x Tasuki is not bad, I really don’t think he loves her in a romantic fashion. I think what happened in the second story arch is showing what happens when a sibling love get too possessive, and I think that is what Tasuki feels. When you love a sibling so much that you start doing all sort of thing that would hurt them for the mere reason that you believe you are doing it for your own good, and like a elder sibling you actually don’t want to share your younger sister for the fear of them being hurt.

42- Why do you think Miaka is such a terrible cook, even though she love to eat? Probably because she never tries her own food, so she never have the chance of improving.

43- Comment on what you think about Miaka’s mother. I don’t really like her as I think the obsession she have in regard to Miaka’s grade is really too harsh, and I really dislike her when she reads Miaka’s diary, as that really is just going too far. Although it is good that she manage to understand a bit more in the end, I still feel that she does not really know her daughter (how could she not know that her daughter can’t cook if she is a good mother?)

44- What do you think of Miaka’s brother? I don’t really like him but I don’t dislike him either. Although I do hope that he could finally manage to find a girlfriend in the end.

45- What do you think of Tetsuya? (Miaka’s brother’s friend, who ended up as Yui’s boy friend.) Don’t really think anything towards him as I feel that he truly is too minor a character, although he is a nice enough guy but I guess he is just too minor a character. I was only curious about him in the anime due to the fact that Narita Ken did the voicing.

46- Do you think the celestial warriors of Seiryuu can justify their actions due to what happened to them in the past? I never believe the concept of the end justify the means so I think blaming your present due to your past is wrong as well. So no, I don’t think they can justify their actions due to their past. While it is understandable that they might be bitter I feel that many of their actions is still kind of going a bit too far- eg.Nakago. While one can understand about the resentment and hatred he felt, and does not expect him to be kind to the whole world, his wish of wanting to make everyone suffer as he had is just too wrong. So no, they can not justify their actions by blaming all that had happened to them in the past.

47- Why do you think that the celestial warriors of Seiryuu ended up so different from the celestial warriors of Suzaku when some of the celestial warriors of Suzaku had a very bitter past as well? I think the main difference is that (pardon my language but I will be blunt here) the celestial warriors had a shitty life ever since their childhood (Nakago- constantly being haunted due to his heritage and ended up killing his own mother when he was about twelve, then ended up as the emperor’s sex toy. Soi- grows up in poverty and then sold to a brothel where she was forced to be a prostitute. Amiboshi and Suboshi- their parents died since they were very little and their village was destroyed due to war. Ashitare- he spent his early life in the circus as the freak show while Tomo was abandoned by his parents. Where as most of the Suzaku warriors had a good life until they were in their teens or so. (Tamahome- granted that they were poor but he has a family. Chichiri was very happy till about 18 or 19 when what happened happens and Shoka didn’t die until Mitsukake was about twenty.) so I think the reason is that the celestial warriors of Seiryuu suffered so much and ends up very bitter because they didn’t even have some happy memories to comfort them. (although I think Hotohori is an exception as his life is probably really crap since his infancy, but then it just sucked, instead of being cruel. I think that happened when he become the emperor)

48- Did Nakago love Soi? despite what he had said I believe that he does love Soi, as she is probably one of the few person who accepts him knowing what he is, the fact that he carried her body with him until he left the universe of the four gods must be a sign that he loves her.

49- What did Nakago feel towards Yui? Definitely not love. I think Nakago can only start to love someone if they can accepts him for who he is, and help him instead of constantly demanding for their attention (like Yui) so I think he does not love Yui. I think he really just sees Yui as a tool to be used, and I doubt that he would really have respect for the Seiryuu no miko since he sought to replace the gods.

50- Did Yui really loved Tamahome, or did she loved Nakago? I think she loved neither of them as I think if she loved them then she would not have done what she did.

51-Do you think that Yui had a right in hating Miaka? I don’t really think she had a right, and even worse- she is quite contradicting. From the end, it seems that she simply stopped hating Miaka because she wasn’t raped, not so much because she learnt that Miaka would have saved her. I think this is quite wrong, as it suggests that she might still have hate Miaka even if she see Miaka coming to her. If that was the reason then no, she had absolutely no right in hating Miaka.

52- Whose death do you think is the most moving death? Definitely Hotohori’s. Especially when you see the bird soaring into the sky after he dies, as that remind you of how he was like a bird trapped in a cage, and the soaring bird suggests that in death he finally found the freedom he so longed for, the caged bird is finally free. Then we see everyone kneeling down to pay their last tribute to him…it is just such a beautiful movement!!!

53- What do you feel about Amiboshi’s decision of leaving the whole struggle by pretending he had amnesia? I know some people who don’t like it but I think it is very understandable, and his character song deals with this perfectly. “If wanting to have peace is weak then I’ll let people call me weak.” I don’t think what he did is fully wrong, to be honest. In a way he is almost brave to do what the truly wants to do. But then of course, he had it easy, if he was someone like Hotohori then obviously this would not work.

54- Some people feels that the relationship between Amiboshi and Suboshi is rather incestuous, what do you think? I really don’t think it is like that, I think it is really just a very deep sibling love. A very deep bond.

55- Talk about the relationships between each of the celestial warriors of Suzaku briefly I think Hotohori sees the rest as his companions, his equals with the exception of Chiriko (whom he probably regards as more of a son or nephew as his actions to Chiriko is rather fatherly). Sadly I think Hotohori is seen as an outsider by the rest of them, I think they see him as the emperor more then a following celestial warriors- even though the others usually see their following celestial warriors as an equal (kind of how Hotohori sees them). Tasuki and Tamahome seem to have a very close friendship- they are probably like best friends, while Nuriko and Tamahome have a brotherly relationship- Nuriko being the elder brother. Then there is Chichiri- who acts like an elderly brother while Chiriko is like a younger brother to most.

56- Talk about the relationships between each of the celestial warriors of Seiryuu briefly. Nakago obviously sees the rest as his tool, while Soi and Tomo both love him and so have a rather rivalry like relationship. Soi seem to be quite sympathetic to Ashitaire, although I think this is really just because she can be quite kind. The twins are very close and seem to be isolated from the rest by their own choice.

57- Do you think the celestial warriors and their priestess would be able to meet up again? If so, how? I believe that they all will meet up again. From reading this bit in Genbu Kaiden it shows Taitsukun ordering the twenty eight constellations/celestial warriors to go down and help, so they seem to have been from some sort of heaven. So I like to think that because of this, they are all good people, and they will all be united when they return to that heaven.

58- What do you think would be the weirdest pairing in Fushigi Yugi? Hmm…I guess Soi and Tasuki as I’ve seen quite a lot of these fan fictions and I simply don’t understand why they often get paired together.

59- Do you think the celestial warriors are all devout to their deity? So far it seems that the only person who is really devout is Hotohori, as he is the only person whom we have seen openly and actively praying to their deity, and he also seems the only one that openly asks Suzaku to grant him power. Although it seems that Soi is quite devout as well from her character song (pride of ice) but however one does not get the impression that she is really devout from the original story. I feel that with the exception of Hotohori the celestial warriors are actually not that devout to their deity.

60- Do you think that the priestess and their celestial warriors are sent down as saviours, or do you think that they might really be harbingers? In regard to Genbu Kaiden, no. I think Takiko can definitely be regarded as a saviour- especially when you think about her wish as she wishes for Hokkan to be protected forever. As for Suzuno, I don’t know yet. On the other hand I think Miaka and Yui do deserve to be classified as harbingers. Look at what they did to Konan (their emperor is dead- while his heir was not even born at the time of his death. Later on it is revealed that Konan is recovering very slowly due to the fact that they have no emperor.) and Kutou (the whole land is basically devastated due to everything) as well as even causing harm to the country protected by Byakko (Tatara died because of all this). Kind of really ironic when you consider that Takiko and her seishi were condemned as being harbingers while Miaka and Yui are regarded as saviours.

61- Suzaku was meant to be summoned by Miaka, but do you think Seiryuu was really meant to be summoned by Yui, or do you think that Yui just happened to summon Seiryuu at that time. I think Yui just happened to be at the right place at the right time because I really don’t think she is fit to be a priestess but she is, so my conclusion is that she just happened to summon Seiryuu at that time. That she was not meant to summon Seiryuu. (gosh, Yui fans are going to hate me guts)

62-What do you think of Taitsukun and Why do you think Taitsukun prefer to appear in the form of an old woman, instead of her proper form? I think she is biased, which is really unfair- especially when the warrior of Seiryuu already is suffering so much, she could have done something to help them but didn’t, so that’s why I don’t like her that much. As for why she prefer to appear in the from of an old woman…maybe it is a way to teach the idea of not judging someone by their appearance?

63- What do you think of Seiryuu? Is he a kind god, or does the people of Kutou merely reflects his personality? I don’t think Seiryuu is an evil god, I think he is a kind god just like Suzaku. As for eating Yui…I really think he only did what he had to do because that is the rule. I think he will actually feel very sad at what his people are doing. Because of this I really don’t like how Miaka sealed Seiryuu, her reason is to defeat Nakago but why don’t she just wish for Nakago to be destroyed by Suzaku? I do not think Nakago is more powerful then Suzaku.

64-What do you feel towards Miiru and Rin? They are not very likeable but you can feel sorry for them, and you can sympathise with what they said about humans and I guess I am glad that they found peace in the end. Although by the time that I watched the anime I was kind of thinking of Rin as more of the voice actor instead of the character due to the fact that Ishida Akira voiced Rin, I know…it’s bad but I can’t help it as Ishida Akira’s voice is just so ‘Ah, Ishida Akira.’

what if…65- Would things had been different if Miaka had not love Tamahome, while Tamahome had fall in love with Yui? I think Yui would still have done something selfish, I think she would probably still be the priestess of Seiryuu due to the fact that she can’t be the priestess of Suzaku, so therefore she cannot be Tamahome’s first priority. So I guess in the end things would still be the same- Yui’s selfishness would still be the cause all these sufferings.

66- If Amiboshi did not leave the celestial warriors of Seiryuu, then do you think he would still be the sole survivor out of all the other warriors, or do you think he would have died as well. I think he most definitely would have died if he didn’t leave. Especially since his brother is with Yui, and look at what Yui caused. I think if Amiboshi did not leave he would probably die protecting Suboshi just as Suboshi tries to do something rash that is related to Yui. I think he would have gone against Tamahome when the latter attacks his brother, although Amiboshi does consider him as a friend.

67- Do you think that Nakago would have turned out to be very different if the emperor of Kutou had been like Hotohori? I think yes because Hotohori is such a kind person, and I think if Nakago had received the kind of kindness Hotohori would show then he might have been very different, as Nakago said, he only want to do all this because his life is nothing but a hell, there was nothing for him but revenge. While Nakago might still be resentful at what happened in his childhood, I think he would not be as ruthless as he would have received kindness from the emperor if the emperor is like Hotohori.

68-What Nakago have been different if he had took Soi with him when he first met her? It is possible that he might have been different as there would have been someone that he could trust, but it might not have been that big a change as by that time he was already quite injured (his mother’s death, the sexual abuse).

69-Same situation as above, would Soi be different? I think Soi will probably be more affected and changed then him. If he had taken her then she would probably not have ended up as a prostitute so she might be less cynical and more gentle and kind.

70- Watase-Sensai said that initially she intended to make Hotohori a crown prince, not the emperor. If that had remain the case, what do you think his role, character and even ending might have been like? I don’t know why but I feel that things might be more tragic is he is the crown prince as I feel the ending might be him becoming the emperor (I don’t think he’ll die if he is the crown prince instead of the emperor), and realizing that he must sacrifice all to be a good ruler, showing him coming to term with the knowledge that he is now bound to Konan- kind of him losing his freedom.

71-What do you think Hotohori would have been like, if he was not the emperor or connected with the imperial family in anyway. I think he would have travelled with the others and probably start to grow up a bit more (he wouldn’t be so mature if he was not the emperor or connected with the imperial family) and I think he might still die as he seems those type of man who would die for the one that they love as well as for the country- I think he would still love Konan deeply even if he was not the emperor. Kind of sad then…his fate would be a tragic one no matter whether he is the emperor (original fate- died) or the crown prince (end with him chained to the kingdom) or not connected with the imperial family (still die due to the war).

What you would like to say to…72- What would you like to say to Miaka? “Control your urge of eating as how would you feel if you know that you destroyed a whole kingdom just because you couldn’t resist eating at a certain moment?”

73- What would you like to say to the Celestial warriors of Suzaku (individually)?
Hotohori- “You are truly an amazing man, I really can’t understand why Miaka would prefer Tamahome over you, but take comfort in the fact that you are loved by Houki because she is so much more better then Miaka.”
Tamahome- “Why do you keep on putting barriers between you and Miaka when there is none? You have no idea how lucky you are if you compare yourself to Hotohori.”
Nuriko- “I don’t think it is just you not minding about your gender, Hotohori also have to not mind as well.”
Chichiri- “Surely you who are so wise, should be able to realize Hotohori’s exclusion by the rest of you?”
Tasuki- “There really is no need for you to tell a joke in order to try and cheer anyone up.”
Mitsukake- “Do you really think that it is possible that you cat might speak?”
Chiriko- “What did you plan to do if your word suddenly disappears when you are in the middle of an exam- or worse, in the middle of a conversation with your emperor if you did successfully become an official.”

74- What would you like to say to the Suzaku warriors as a whole group? (excluding Hotohori) “Please remember that Hotohori is one of you as well, so please stop treating him as an outsider just because he is the emperor.” (Including Hotohori) “I know that your duty is to protect Miaka as well as love her, but honestly, do none of you get frustrated with her at any time?”

75- What would you like to say to Yui? I have nothing I want to say to her, to be honest I think I would like to slap her if I ever sees her.

76- What would you like to say to the celestial warriors of Seiryuu? (individually)
Soi- “Nakago really does love you, even if he refuses to admit it to himself.”
Nakago- “You do love Soi, and you probably know it, so don’t lie to her by saying that you don’t, as well as have some decency to not openly declare out your false love for Yui in front of her.”
Amiboshi- “I think you action in choosing to hide is not fully cowardly.”
Suboshi- “Did you never consider the fact that your brother might ever marry?”
Ashitare- “You do not have to be fully devoted to Nakago just because he saved you that once.”
Tomo- “You are actually a very handsome man, so please stop painting your face like that.”
Miboshi- “Can you please tell me whether you are involved in the legend of Genbu in anyway?”

77- What would you like to say to the celestial warriors of Seiryuu as a whole group? “You guys can almost compete with the seven angles (aka the dragon of the earth) in X for the title of the worst ever team mate.”

78- Any thing else that you want to say to characters not listed in the above list? To Subaru= “can you please tell me why you married Tokaki?” To Tokaki- “just what did you say to Subaru to make her agree to marry you?” To Koji= “Have you always opened doors that way?” “Isn’t the whole point of knocking doors to let the other person ask ‘who are you?’”

questions related to adaptations79- Which do you like better, the original manga or the anime? Definitely the original manga as the drawings are so much more beautiful in the anime (the beauty in Watase-sensai’s drawings just can’t be conveyed successfully onto screen or by other people), and I also don’t like the anime as they made Miaka and Tamahome more important on the expense of making the other characters less important.

80-“Discuss the character songs briefly, and state your favourite one. I really like the characters song because the lyrics are really good, and the voice actors all sang it really good too. When I hear the songs I can manage to think of it as the character’s voice, not as the seiyuu’s voice, which is really important as they are character songs. As I mentioned for my reviews, I love Hotohori and Soi’s song, I love all the songs they have and probably Tasuki’s ones too. But as for the rest, I might not like all of their songs, but usually I will really like one of their songs. (Chichiri-Mizu Kagami; Yui-aoi arashi; Chiriko-akai iitsutae; Nakago-houkou; the twins-never get away.) I really love Hikitsu and Tomite’s character songs because it just conveys what we discovered from their brief appearance so perfectly- their weariness at all this and the brotherly love they bear for each other. I am really eager to see the anime for Genbu Kaiden if only for the character songs…

81- Which opening song is your favourite/least favourite? For least I will have to say ‘Chijou no Seiza’, which is the opening for the third OVA as I just don’t really like that singer. She doesn’t make that song exciting as it gets bit boring at the middle and the fact that she is singing in this voice that seems unnatural high does not really help. As for opening songs…I think ‘For the sake of my beloved’, for the anime. This is kind of funny as I actually don’t like Miaka’s character songs when the seiyuu for Miaka sang the opening for the anime.

82- Which ending song do you like the best/the least? Favourite is ‘Yes, koko ni eien ga aru’ because it is sang by Koyasu Takehito who is my favourite seiyuu!!! As for least favourite ending songs…I don’t actually have one.

83- List your favourite seiyuu in the anime and explain why. Koyasu Takehito because he just voices Hotohori so perfectly! At times his voice is very formal, very dignified but yet we also hear his voice being really gentle. They are just exactly how Hotohori behaved! He can be formal, but when he is with Miaka and Houki he is very gentle.

84- What do you think about the Fushigi Yugi novels? I’ve only read one of the novels (the Hotohori one) so I do not think I can be a fully good judge in regard to the novel but I actually didn’t like it that much, which quite shocked me since I thought I would like it quite a lot. But it might just be I didn’t like the translation that much and I feel the story is too action based…I feel that we never get to really know what the characters are feeling. But as I said before, it must be the novel’s writing style as I actually was really touched when I saw what happened in the novel shown in Eikou Den.

85- Comment on the OVA’s. I really dislike the first OVA because I think it is just pointless- it is just unnecessary and on top of that they made Tomo into a real bastard, while Koji and Amiboshi died, which I really dislike. And of course…personal biasm, Hotohori only came out in the last five minute of the last OVA, but I quite like the muck around thing in the front/end, although I still think Hotohori’s role is really dehydrated. But I do like the second OVA as it is quite true to the original manga, and the episode about Hotohori and Houki is really touching. As for the third OVA, I don’t really like the plot- how there is this new evil with this girl sent to the country, although I do love the bit when Houki tells her story as that bit was just really romantic and beautiful, I think for that alone, I don’t dislike the third ova that much but in general I probably like the anime better then the OVA, while I like the manga way better then the anime.

>86-In regard to the animated adaptations, what are some of the changes that you don’t like or/and like? What I most dislike is the fact that Miaka and Tamahome were made more important on the expense of everyone else. There is also the fact that the drawings are not as beautiful as the manga (Houki looked quite bad in the anime even though she’s really pretty in the manga, although thankfully the second OVA corrected this.) The other two things that I really don’t like…they made Hotohori’s hair brown, I don’t know why but that little thing just really annoy me. Then there is the matter of Nakago’s death, as I said in my review, it shifts from focusing on Nakago to focusing on Tamahome instead. It simply shows Nakago dying, and does not show him finding peace by seeing both Soi and his mother. And another thing…we never see the grown Soi appearing in a proper dress either, I think that is a big pity because it kind of shows her character quite well. I guess it shows what she might have been like? As for the first OVA…I really hate how they killed both Amiboshi and Koji because the manga actually shows that both survived. And even though I like the second OVA I don’t like it that much for the sake that it kind of dehydrated everything, eg. Some of the revelations.

Questions related to the priestess and warriors of Byakko87-Discuss what you feel about the legend of Byakko I am definitely interested in the legend of Byakko and I think I will like the romance between Tatara and Suzuno as this will finally be a romance where the male is a man, mature enough (from what we have seen in Fushigi Yugi Tatara seemed to be probably in his early twenties when he met Suzuno). I am also very interested in seeing Subaru and Tokaki- seeing how he managed to persuade her to marry him.

88-Why do you think that Suzuno was not able to have her wish granted, when Miaka did? Just as I don’t see how Takiko will get eaten if Miaka didn’t, I do not understand why Suzuno and Tatara could not have their wish granted. I really don’t understand, the only explanation I think I can accept will be that Suzuno asked to stay with Tatara, which was not possible, but it she had asked Tatara to come to her world, then it might have been possible as Tamahome asked to go to her world. Otherwise it is simply not fair, and I do not think Suzaku is more powerful then Byakko or anything.

89-Why do you think Subaru married Tokaki , as well as putting up with him? She must really love him, and he must have somehow proved to her that he really loves her despite his nature. Although their relationship really reminds me of Sango and Miroku from Inuyasha, in fact I get a feeling that Sango and Miroku will just end up like that. (which is why I have become such a big supporter for Sango x Sesshomaru pairings but anyway, that is not the point…) I have began to wander lately…maybe she married him out of friendship, maybe she loved someone else and he died, so she married Tokaki who loved her in his own way?

90-What do you think of the love story between Tatara and Suzuno? From what I have seen it sounds like a very touching love story. I find Tatara’s devotion very touching- how he never stopped wishing her to have happiness even though she would marry another (kind of like Hotohori really…). As for Suzuno, the fact that she married someone seemed to make this story more tragic as I feel that she only married because she had too- that she never stopped loving him either. In short, a very tragic yet beautiful love story, it could be said to end up happy as they were reunited in the end.

Questions related to Genbu Kaiden91-Discuss what you feel about the legend of Genbu (prior to Genbu Kaiden) initially I actually didn’t really care about the legend of Genbu, one reason was because I just want to know the ending so I didn’t give Hikitsu and Tomite much thought…(I know, I know, I feel guilty now too…) And by the time I focused on their appearance and the legend of Genbu I had already read Genbu Kaiden.

92-Discuss what you feel about the legend of Genbu after reading Genbu Kaiden My conclusion is that Watase-sensai is a really talented manga writer. I’ve only read up to volume five but from what I have seen I really like the story. Even though you can kind of know the ending I still really want to know the process (a sign of a good story). One of my friends thinks that it is a repetition but I definitely don’t agree, because it is not. The characters are so different and we can see that they will reach the goal after a series of a completely different path. Now I am very touched by the legend of Genbu, especially at Hikitsu and Tomite- who guards the shinzaho. I think I am touched because the celestial warriors and Takiko must still have fulfilled their duty even though they faced great prejudice.

93-Who is your favourite character in Genbu Kaiden? Why? When I first read Genbu Kaiden I kept on wandering who would be my favourite character, Takiko seems the type of character I would like but somehow I knew that she is not my favourite character. My favourite character is Hikitsu (perhaps this is due to the fact that he looks like Hotohori, and I love guys with long hair…but then Uruki have long hair too and I don’t particularly like Uruki.) But the moment Hikitsu come out I realize that this guy is my favourite character. I don’t know why but he just really intrigues me, and maybe I like him because he at that time he is older then the rest but four years at the very least (He is 21 while Takiko is 17, Uruki and Tomite are both 16 while Hatsui is 13.) And the fact that he looks like Hotohori…the two of them have this sense of sorrow around them as well as a gentleness, which I like…so somehow Hikitsu is my favourite character.

94- What do you think is the relationship between Hikitsu and Tomite in Genbu Kaiden? Like two brothers, they even swore a vow of being brothers. That is why I really can’t stand fan fictions with them as a pairing. I mean, granted that they stayed in the cave together for two hundred years that still doesn’t automatically mean that kind of stuff! On my part I think Tomite liked Takiko a bit, but if he didn’t die I think he would have ended up with Aira (Hikitsu’s sister).

95- What did you think of Hikitsu and Tomite from their appearance in volume nine of fushigi yugi? To be perfectly honest, at that stage I was just really eager to see the ending that I didn’t really concentrate on others that much. But upon re-reading it I do quite like these two. I think they are portrayed as quite cocky, but you can like them as they aren’t doing anything wrong, they are meant to guard the shinzaho after all. Upon learning about what happens, how they guard it because they felt that they didn’t do enough due to dying too early, I couldn’t help but to be touched. And I guess you can obviously see that these two are very close, because at one point Tomite actually was leaning on Hikitsu in a brotherly fashion and since their society does not seem to be a world which displays open affection much unless one is really close, you can see that they must be very close.

96- Compare Takiko to Miaka, who do you like better and why? Right now I definitely like Takiko way better then Miaka. The reason is because Takiko, for a start, is much smarter then Miaka (or I can be harsh and just say that Takiko is not stupid). Another important thing is that she actually does not always rely on the others to protect her, she can actually protect herself, and she is actually being the Genbu no Miko due to a more likeable reason. Takiko is also so much more mature. Lastly the fact that she is not obsessed by eating automatically make me like her more then Miaka.

97- Talk about what you feel in regard to the Genbu Kaiden video game: Kagami no miko (the priestess of the mirror). Would you play it if you have the chance to? From what I have heard of the game it is just the sort of thing that I really love! Not only is the game absolutely beautiful (since it is Watase-sensai’s drawings) it is also romance central and I just love stuff that is romance related. So I really want to play it, one of my biggest wish is that why will eventually make it into a pc game instead of just a ps2 game and then I hope that it will be translated into Chinese so I can buy it and be able to play it. If such a day happens…I think I will literally burst into tears.

98-Do you think Miboshi will be somehow involved in the story of Genbu Kaiden since he is about 200 years old, while the story of Genbu Kaiden is set about 200 years before the story of Fushigi Yugi. as I said before in my review, I believe he is involved in the story of Genbu Kaiden. In fact, this is my theory… “Hakei (the crown prince of Kutou) stated to Uruki that he would not accept the priestess of Seiryuu and her celestial warriors because that would indicate that the country is in danger. I think what happened is that as a twist of fate, he will end up having a son who is a celestial warrior of Seiryuu (ie. Miboshi). As a result, he will try to kill Miboshi, as a taunt towards fate. Due to this Miboshi will be burned with a desire to survive as proof that he can, and will do anything to survive. Which includes possessing others’ body.”

Final thoughts…99- Explain why you spend time filling this questioner. Well…I actually wrote this so one answer is that since I write it I really ought to fill out. But the reason why I want to do it is because I really want to do an 100 question on Fushigi yugi since I really love the story. And this also gives me a chance to talk about stuff that I didn’t get to in my reviews.

100-Would you recommend Fushigi Yugi to your friends, if so, how would you do it? Definitely, I’ll recommend it as one of my favourite manga with the additional statement of it being one of the most beautifully drawn manga as well. I will recommend it as a romance story that is overall a serious story, although it does have many funny parts in it as well.

Ok, I admit that I am ranting again but hey, my life’s ship haven’t been sailing in perfectly smooth water lately. Between having to not panic due to exams; then feeling guilty for not working even though I’ll feel even more guilty if I work; pondering on what papers I should do next semester; and having an argument with my parents etc etc, I think I’m entitled to having some rant on my blog.

As usual I think I give up talking/complaining to my own oneesan, because there is seriously no point. I think it’s the fact that our personality just made such things impossible. Right now I want some sympathy by having some one listening to me rant, and say that they agree with me at the moment when I get really work up, and if they disagree, I can understand, I want them to at least break it out in a gentle manner. But my oneesan never seem to understand the offering me some sympathy. I remember once complaining to her about how I score really bad in a NCEA assessment and I was pretty upset, and I mean surely most people would say something like “It’s ok, don’t be so upset, it’ll be ok.” Instead she said something like “That’s stupid NCEA.” I mean for goodness sake! How does that help your sister who feels like that her whole world is darkening? It’s like what happened to Satsuki-sis in regard to her Japanese exam (if you know it then you’ll know it without me explaining it, and I really have no right to elaborate either). Ok…I’m not saying my oneesan is completely unsympathetic 24/7 or anything as she can be very nice, but it’s just that right now I’m a bit angry. (partly due to the fact that I’ve seen her in front of the computer since 12 for about at least the six hours. The reason I’m pissed is mainly that she did it without getting told off, which I surely would. And she doesn’t feel guilty…if I did that I’ll probably be twitching every time anyone enters the room).

Another reason I’m mad is that I expected her to give me some sympathy in regard to this whole general education business. (because of my degree I have to select to general education paper which means I have to do two paper that is not related to my degree.) I’m really angry at this because as I said before, I thought the whole point about university is that you can do what you want because we’ve done all the general education for me. I’m angry due to the fact that my oneesan said she think there is nothing wrong with that (yeah…I bet. Just because she’s not doing it, I bet she wouldn’t be that happy if she had to give up doing something she likes instead of doing something that she doesn’t like.) I admit, I’ll probably find the stuff rather good because university lecture can actually talk for a whole hour without letting you fall asleep most of the time so it probably won’t be that bad. When I first entered university one of the thing I really wondered is how you will manage to not get bored from a whole hour of listening to another person talk only, but well, it isn’t that bad. You do get bored but it’s not ZZZZZ every time class start. And I guess if I actually find economics a bit interesting I can probably survive doing a general education paper. I mean I remember forth form economic as nothing but a memory of pure horror. I got an absolutely crap mark for my economic exams and the only reason I passed for forth form business study was because I managed to do ok for the accounting exam. (in forth form I did business study, which split the exam into two parts: economics and accounting). I thought I was going to battle with falling asleep in my economic classes in the economic paper I did in first semester 2006 but no, nothing of that sort (most of the time). It was pretty interesting.

Back to studying I guess…wish me luck everyone! Freedom should come to me for about a week by the time I get this posted.

Oh yeah, and the whole thing about the rice ball, I forgot about that. Basically on Friday I went home quite late and I was hungry, so I suddenly remembered the rice ball shop that I said I’ll go one day. (it’s called QQ rice and there’s a store in Welleslet St and one in Dominion road.) so I went there and it was…interesting. Think of it was subway only with everything shoved into a rice ball instead of a sandwich. It was really nice…quite nostalgic as I haven’t eat a proper rice ball since what seemed like ages. Maybe even years and years. As I take a bit into it I feel tears trailing out from my eyes to slid down on my cheeks…ok, that’s definitely going to far. But the thing is I was kind of not doing that well on Friday, so somehow eating the rice ball made me recollect a lot of things, which made me quite sad. But it seems that to observers I was gazing sadly at the rice ball…I’m talking nonsense now, blame that on too much stress due to exams. The only drawback is that I think it is kind of too expensive. One rice ball costs at least $5 and I guess I was just thinking of the yakisoba that is sold at the same price in the place where I work. And I swear, the yakisoba is like at least five times larger then the rice ball. Or I can get a box of butter chicken curry which is bigger. Compared to a kebab it is really expensive as well as a kebab is 3 times larger and it only costs about 3 dollars more. Although I still recommend those who read this to go there once: see it as trying something new by eating a rice ball. It is really nice and you get interesting rice, there’s like purple rice…black rice…brown rice etc etc.